1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quick connector to be coupled together with a piped body having an annular boss.
2. Description of the Related Art
Connectors described in JP-A-2008-512607 and JP-A-2006-183833 each have a connector body and a retainer, the retainer being pushed in the connector body, thereby being able to be locked to an annular boss of a piped body. To enable the push-in operation of the retainer, the piped body is required to be inserted at a proper position into the connector body. That is, in the connector, by the push-in operation of the retainer, it is possible to confirm whether the piped body is inserted at the proper position.
In the connector, detecting legs of the retainer are pressed in the axial direction by the annular boss of the piped body at an initial position, and thus bend in the axial direction. This operation enables the push-in operation of the retainer.
In the connector, when the piped body is not inserted in a state where the retainer is placed at the initial position, the push-in operation of the retainer is not enabled. In detail, the ends of the detecting legs of the retainer are locked in the push-in direction to the connector body. When the piped body is inserted, the annular boss of the piped body presses the ends of the detecting legs in the axial direction, so that the detecting legs bend. Then, the locking of the ends of the detecting legs to the connector body in the push-in direction is canceled. Thus, the push-in operation of the retainer is enabled. In this manner, the portions of the retainer pressed in the axial direction by the annular boss of the piped body function as the portions locked in the push-in direction to the connector body.
The detecting legs, which are made thinner to make the connector smaller, are lowered in rigidity. When the push-in operation of the retainer is carried out in a state where the piped body is not inserted, there is a possibility that the detecting legs of the retainer are buckled, to cancel the locking of the detecting legs to the connector body. In particular, since the ends of the detecting legs are locked, the bending of the detecting legs makes the locking of the ends of the detecting legs to the connector body likely to be canceled. Consequently, the detecting legs of the retainer cannot be easily made smaller.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances. Accordingly, it is an object to provide a quick connector which can make detecting legs of a retainer smaller, and to securely detect the insertion of a piped body.